This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. Hei-10-134986 filed May 14, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp, and more particularly, to a vehicle lamp system. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for providing a better control in illumination of a vehicle lamp system in response to various weather and/or road surface conditions.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Illumination lamps mounted on a vehicle are usually operated under various weather conditions depending upon environment in which the vehicle travels. Thus, there is a demand for assurance of a safe driving by way of varying a luminous intensity with road surface conditions.
However, a conventional lamp has encountered a difficulty in ensuring a sufficient luminous light or marker light even in the event of degradation of weather conditions and changes in road surface conditions. For example, a vehicle lamp system adopting headlamps has a potential problem in reduction of an efficiency of the luminous light. In addition, the sight of drivers of oncoming vehicles on the opposite lane or pedestrians may be hindered by the light especially when the condition of the road surface is deteriorated. Further, an intensity of the marker lamps or signal lamps themselves may be reduced due to fog or rain.